The West Virginia medical journal
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Over the past decade, prostate brachytherapy has been increasingly utilized as definitive management for early stage carcinoma of the prostate gland. One risk of the procedure is pulmonary seed embolization. ⋯ Pulmonary embolization of radioactive seeds occurs in approximately 20% of patients undergoing prostate brachytherapy. To date, no acute or delayed detrimental effects have been reported which are attributable to the pulmonary embolization of the seeds; nevertheless, it is imperative that patients and health care providers be cognizant of this possible event.